


The Devil's after Both of Us

by AwkwardDuckProducktions



Category: Campaign (Podcast), Campaign: Skyjacks (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Dissociation, Eventual Romance, Gable needs a hug, Graphic Description of Corpses, Hildred needs a hug, Hurt/Comfort, I like my hurt/comfort how i like my bouncy balls, I want to throw characters on the ground and then watch them soar, I'm the biggest birdfriends trash so y'all gonna have to deal, It's one corpse and he's canonically a corpse that sometimes falls apart, Jonnit is the real angel, Mention of the Immortal equivalent to what may be considered as suicidal thoughts, No beta we post like assholes, Post 65 but super vague about it, Post Episode 44, Spit needs to shut up, They don't call it dissociation but it be that, Travis has one (1) right, Travis needs to shut up, i guess??, mention of dissociation, reunion of sorts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24636340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardDuckProducktions/pseuds/AwkwardDuckProducktions
Summary: He drained the last bit of his drink and stuck out a weathered hand. "Name's Spit. We can talk to the captain 'bout your situation if you follow me to the ship." Maybe the luminaries were on her side for once."Hildred."
Comments: 8
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

She missed flying. Made running from the Red Feather Syndicate so much easier. Now she had to leave, she wasn't safe in this city anymore. But after a couple of hours of hanging at the closest tavern to the docks, she found a man who seemed willing to help.

"Well... where you lookin' to go? We fly pretty much where the winds take us." The elder man scratched absently at his patchy beard. Wrinkles that couldn't lie about the life he had lived in the skies made her a little jealous.

"Just anywhere. I don't have much in money but I'll work."

"You runnin' from somethin'?" He asked. Though understandable, she was dreading the question all the same.

"I've pissed off some powerful people, but who hasn't?" The man nodded in solidarity.

"Fair." He laughed, his skin folded in familiar patterns. A life hard and full of laughter. "I won't grill ya on details-"

_ Thank fuck. _

"- but if you got any last minute things you need to take care of, bet'er ge' 'em squared away. We fly in a couple of hours." He drained the last bit of his drink and stuck out a weathered hand. "Name's Spit. We can talk to the captain 'bout your situation if you follow me to the ship." Maybe the luminaries were on her side for once.

"Hildred."

The luminaries were, in fact, not on her side. Yes, she has found a discreet way out of the city. And yes, it's on an airship (she missed the skies, who can blame her?) And yes, she didn't have to do anything drastic like she might have assumed she would have to earn her pay on the ship. In fact, she didn't have to pay for anything. Because the helmsman took one look at her and she took one look at them and the world went quiet. Her heart stilled as the helmsman's eyes recognized her. Drank in the sight of her like a poor soul lost in the desert, only to find that the oasis is filled with venomous snakes.

"You're Hildred!" The child standing beside the unforgettable helmsman yelled with excitement gleaming on his face.

She really did try to respond. Her mouth went numb and her mind blanked. All she could do was nod pitifully, unable to look away from  _ them. _

"Gable! It's Hildred!" He tugged on their sleeve, his grin brighter than the moon that hung overhead.

"It's Hildred!" Carmel, the white raven on their shoulder, repeated. How he was able to say it in a mocking tone back was astounding and a little scary. Gable hefted a sigh, turned away and said that "it's fine."

It obviously wasn't fine. Her being there wasn't fine. The kindly man from before called out to them about payment. To which Gable replied with a "It's fine!" Louder and more distressed over their shoulder as they walked off. It was hard not to stomp when you're 7 foot tall and made like a brick wall, Hildred reasoned for her own sake. But she was ushered away to the bunks beneath and given reassurance that Spit was going to get clarification on what "It's fine!" meant for her case.

And so she was left there, alone on the  _ Uhuru _ .

Cursing the luminaries, the air, the seas, the Red Feather Syndicate, and her own beating heart.

  
  
  
  
  


Being as they were, there came some benefits with being a fallen angel. Gable was 7 feet tall and built like a brick wall, for example. People moved out of their path when they walked down the streets. They have a cool flaming sword. They could go on and on about all the wonderful things about being them and trade them all for at this moment to be drunk. There was not enough alcohol on the ship to get them to the point they would be within the realm of "fine" for this situation. So instead, they sat at the captain's desk with their head bowed and fingers interlaced behind their neck. Maybe they could sleep until she was off the ship.

"Well that went great." Travis joked as he hopped from their shoulder and onto the desk. "Thought you might be glad to see her again."

They groaned instead of giving a reply. He hopped around on his bird feet and tugged on their hair. Gable blindly swatted at him as the door opened.

"Gable? You up?" Spit asked, poking his head in. "I wanted to talk to ya 'bout our rider." They knew that they needed to be professional about this. "Acting captain" and all that. They propped their chin on the desk. Being professional and acting professional were two different things and they didn't have to do both. Gable tilted their head for Spit to continue. "Now normally, the cap'n would have ta sign off on any passengers but be it as it may, you and Travis were off finishin' up a job. And I thought you migh' take some sympathy for the poor girl."

"Well she's more than a girl." Gable muttered under their breath, but not quiet enough for Travis not to hear. The raven snickered into his wing, much to their chagrin.

"What was that?"

"We- well, I met her at the bird competition. She... helped us get..." Seeing her brought back memories they thought they were through with. "She helped us in Burza Nyth." Realization fell on Spit like rain, each drop another memory. At least now Gable didn't have to explain their reaction on the deck. "She can stay for free. We owe her that much."

"I'd reckon she's not the type to just accept handouts."

"It's not a handout, she's..." Words escaped them, as each flew by none felt right. "A friend." But it would have to do. Still Spit seemed uneased by something, gears turning through molasses in his head.

"Now it ain't none my business-"

_ oh fuck. _

__ "But when I was a-talkin' to her at the tavern, she mentioned that she'd made some powerful people angry." Relief shocked Gable out of their panic. Explaining past relations was one thing. Explaining them to Spit was a level they never wanted to be on. "All but begged for ride to anywhere."

"Get on with it." They hadn't meant to growl, but they were at their limit already.

"Where we gonna drop her off?"

_ Off the side into the sea,  _ some dark voice in the depths of their head offered.

"We'll figure somewhere out. For now, I'll talk to Travis and Jonnit when I find them about rations and course."

"It's Hildred!" Travis mockingly croaked as he hopped around on the desk. Gable sighed and reasoned with the dark voice in them that they could throw him off the side and into the sea without much worry or concern from the crew.

"You go talk to her. Tell her that she's here as a... friend." And with that, Gable pushed Spit back through the door before he could ask anymore of them. Back against the door, they slid down to resume their position with their head bowed, fingers interlocked around their neck.

"Well, that went smoothly."

"Fuck you, Travis."


	2. Chapter 2

This situation was stressful to begin with. Hildred's run-ins with the Red Feather Syndicate left her with memories that plagued her at night. Her team was scattered to the winds, association with her became too dangerous. Friends made for easy targets. It was how things were.

The situation was not made better on the  _ Uhuru _ . Spit had told her that she was here as a friend. The word left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. She won't lie that the first couple of nights, it had given her something she had missed. A gentle comfort. But the days were hard. Not only did the one who deemed her "friend" turned tail at the sight of her, but the crew acted like an extension of their distaste of her on their ship. In their home. Hildred was alone in a crowd, not one daring to interact with her.

...

Well...

There was one...

"Don't you need to be doing something, er..."

"Jonnit." The child reminded her again. He didn't tease her about the inability for his name to stick. Just stared at her with stars in his eyes and a grin brighter than the sun. Joy all too bright for Hildred to have caused in her opinion.

"Jonnit, right." He sat across from her at the mess table, head propped up by his hands with his feet swinging back and forth underneath.

"I've got another couple of hours before the stars come out."

_ Great. _ It wasn't that she didn't like him, but there were too many questions she just couldn't answer right now.

"Where's Victory?" Jonnit asked innocently.

That was one of the questions she couldn't answer. It left her without words, without a voice. Only fog in her head. She could feel herself saying something, a convenient half truth, but it felt like someone else was puppeteering her.

Jonnit replied, quick to go into his retelling of the race, his hands flying every which way. It was cute to watch him, excitement like that hadn't been hers in a while but she could almost feel his. Like the sun trying to shine through thick storm clouds.

But the fog in her head refused to be broken. Only refortified itself until she could only see the fog. And the memories it played. 

She must have not responded to a question in a timely manner, for Jonnit was no longer sitting across from her, but beside her. Had his hand covering her fist. Was saying something but words were lost to her and she was lost to him. There was no feat of pure will to bring her back.

Someone else entered the room, Hildred couldn't tell who but Jonnit seemed worried and then angered when the person came close. An old gravelly voice familiar told Jonnit to "come along now." That part was clear. And she could feel him give her hand a squeeze before he left her side. And then she was alone again in the fog. What she would give to have a friend on this ship.

  
  


"Something is up with Hildred," Jonnit stopped walking, "I don't think we should have left her."

"Listen," Spit turned back to him, "there are some things that you can't force yours way outta. That there look she got? It's somethin' we all get time to time. Best to just give her space." Jonnit remained unconvinced, bit at his cheek to hold his persistence. Big heavy footfall announced the arrival of their helmsman.

"Howdy," they gave a wave with a patient smile, "about to go learning?" Bleary eyes struggled to hide how tired they were, which was odd since the last couple of days Gable had been especially hard to find. Making their 7 foot self scarce and silent despite the obvious difficulties.

"Gotta teach him bout navagatin' Northern winds as they be a tricky beast." Jonnit groaned at the mention of their destination. No one was really on board with the decision, but as the northern cities were far from the Red Feather Syndicate, it was a place they figured their passenger could lay low for a while. A debt that could never be fully paid, but this definitely made some sort of balance. Also, it would be good for everyone on board to just have a break from running into trouble.

"We're gonna have to make a few stops before that-" Gable started before Spit held a weathered hand so very close to their face.

"You're gonna want him to have all the trainin' he can get-"

Jonnit groaned again.

"-usually this is advanced level specialized sort of thing, not e'ry ship even make it up there-"

Jonnit groaned for a third time, beginning to regret his initial excitement of becoming a stargazer. He looked to his friend for freedom from this hell he had made for himself.

"You'll do fine." With that and a pat, Gable made their way deeper into the ship without giving Jonnit time to protest as he got pulled away by his teacher.

For the first leg of the journey, Gable agreed to letting Hildred have their rations. Death by starvation was still a death and technically they couldn't die so why have they been eating in the first place? Travis called them an idiot. Jonnit was worried and offered half of his, to which was immediately shut down by Gable in a tone harsher than they had meant. He at least didn't bring it up again. Seeing her again had dug up memories they had thought they buried in frozen grounds. Sleeping was impossible, either the nightmares left them jumpy or the realities they missed their chance on left them hurt all over again. But things...

were...

fine...

Maybe if they kept telling themself that, they might actually end up believing.

Travis knew it was none of his business, but if it was his business, it wouldn't be his pleasure. Reason why he actively tries not to be the quartermaster. That was business. Getting the dirty details from Hildred on what happened between her and Gable? That was his pleasure.

And guess who happened to be in the mess hall all by her lonesome.

"Well as I live and breathe, it's Hildred." He announced as he approached her table. She mumbled a response, her eyes fixated on a far off distance refusing to meet his. "I'm sure this is a far stretch from your crowd, not everyone is excited about birds here as-" His words crumbled as she continued to stare off into the far off distance. He made the trek around the table, yet she still made no move to acknowledge him. Calloused hands tightened up and released but still she remained. One doesn't get to be Travis's age without learning a few things. Or experiencing a few others. "I'll be right back." He announced; his plans still remained, just had a couple more steps. Made his way to the galley, careful to not to be seen. He had a reputation of sorts and should someone find out he was helping someone, he just did not have the time to explain that as he searched through storage that this was all still for selfish reasons. It was in the third crate he found the apples, taking just one. Still careful to avoid others, almost ran into Gable but they were too busy sulking to notice, he made it back into the mess hall and back in front of Hildred. Her unfocused eyes did not worry him as he sliced away a small piece of the apple, but he wanted details and she wasn't going to answer in this state. He held the piece to her mouth, "eat."

"What?" The first words not hushed she said as Travis continued to push the slice to her mouth.

"Eat it." He demanded. Warily, she took the piece into her own hands and did as told. Travis hummed satisfied as he carved himself a piece and ate it. She watched as he cut away a third and handed it to her. "Good, right?" Words were slow to come back to her, but she nodded and ate the offered piece. "I find that when people get stuck," he took another piece off the apple, "it's easier to 'lure them out' with food," and ate it as if to prove a point. Another piece for her, "old Black Lily's trick."

"Haven't heard of it," she took the piece, "but thanks."

"Trust me, I'm only doing this for selfish reasons." He beamed like a cat about to catch its prey, satisfied and proud.

"Sure you are." She reflected his smile as she ate her piece. "You're only helping out to make yourself feel good and in control." He stared frozen and for a moment, Hildred wondered if she stepped too far out of line. Everything moved so slow, who she was and who she was to others never were too clear after the fog. But then he sputtered and laughed in a poor attempt to save face.

"You know, there's this Black Lily I just recently met that I think you would get along with." And she couldn't help herself from laughing, half in relief and half in the bittersweet taste of paranoia that rode on her shoulders that this can't last long.

"Haven't met one who didn't like me afterwards." That she would have to run again.

"Sure there isn't. Just like how I'm only helping you to feel in control." Her lungs betrayed her as she coughed up very dearly missed joy. It was hard for her heart to ache when laughter bubbled inside her. Even harder when he joined in. And for a moment, between jabs and jests and apple slices, she almost felt like she was actually a friend here.

"Gable? You in here?" They lifted their head at the sound of the knock on the door. The paper they were supposed to be reading stuck to their cheek instead. Sudden thoughts of not letting Jonnit in were quickly dismissed, peeling off the paper and opening the door.

"Yes Jonnit?" He slid underneath their arm and into the office without a word. They closed the door behind them as they made their way back to their seat. "Are you hiding from Spit? Cuz if you are-"

"- I'm not!" He insisted yet his hands wrung themselves out. "Just wanted to see how Acting Captain was going and all that." A heavy pause fell between the two friends, near panicked eyes watched the tired ones slowly blink.

"I'm fine, Jonnit." It came out as a whisper, like a plea for peace.

"Are you sure? Cuz you look worse than Orimar when we left him."

"I at least have my eyes in their sockets." Could they argue besides that? That wasn't the point. The captain had a run-in with a wall backwards and now his eyes wouldn't stay in place. Gable was running into a wall head first metaphorically so their eyes were safe from popping out.

"Ok _ aaaaaaaa _ y, that's a very low bar." Jonnit replied trying to sound stern but his eyes glistened with all his worries. For being but a mere fraction of their age, Gable almost hated how Jonnit could cut through their defenses. Blaming the puppy eyes, they succumbed to the weight on their shoulders. Head lowered back down on the desk.

"I can't sleep." Admitting to a struggle felt like waiting for a kick to the head. But Jonnit approached, not to shame or reprimand. Just to lay a hand on their shoulder. "It's silly."

"I don't think it is." They rolled their head to the side and stared up at him. "If it's affecting you that much, I don't think it's silly."

"It's a little silly." They tried to laugh, but it felt hollow.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Did they? Did they want to admit to all that happened? Admit to the fears that came into light because of her only to have them break from their cells and run rampant in their head? Admit to every horrid conspiracy they had about who they were long ago and come to face the facts that maybe one was right? 

"Maybe later." Later could also very well mean to never in Jonnit's lifetime. Mortal existence was but a blink to them

"I'll hold you to it." 

_ Can't hold it to me if you're dead _ , a dark voice from deep shouted in their chest. They didn't want that truly. But still the words echoed throughout their body until it was all they could think of.

"Anything else I can do to help?" Their insides screamed for death, to cause it or test their limits. Just death to anyone.

"Stay... please." It brought tears to Gable's eyes to feel the reverberations of the dark voice's chorus inside of them.

"I can." His hand moved from their shoulder down until their hands held each others tight like a promise. "I can."

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from Curses by The Crane Wives


End file.
